diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index bbed6cf..1c6fe2e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,39 @@ jobs:
           JRELEASER_MAVENCENTRAL_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.MAVENCENTRAL_USERNAME }}
           JRELEASER_MAVENCENTRAL_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.MAVENCENTRAL_PASSWORD }}
 
+      - name: Prepare next development iteration
+        env:
+          DEVELOPMENT_BRANCH: ${{ github.ref_type == 'branch' && github.ref_name || github.event.repository.default_branch }}
+        run: |
+          ./mvnw -B versions:set -DnextSnapshot=true -DgenerateBackupPoms=false
+          NEXT_POM="$RUNNER_TEMP/next-development-pom.xml"
+          cp pom.xml "$NEXT_POM"
+          git restore -- pom.xml
+          git fetch origin "refs/heads/$DEVELOPMENT_BRANCH"
+          if ! git merge-base --is-ancestor HEAD FETCH_HEAD; then
+            echo "The released commit is not on $DEVELOPMENT_BRANCH; update its development version manually."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if ! git diff --quiet HEAD FETCH_HEAD -- pom.xml; then
+            if git show FETCH_HEAD:pom.xml | cmp -s - "$NEXT_POM"; then
+              echo "The next development version is already committed."
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            echo "pom.xml changed since the released commit; update its development version manually."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          git checkout --detach FETCH_HEAD
+          cp "$NEXT_POM" pom.xml
+          if git diff --quiet -- pom.xml; then
+            echo "The next development version is already committed."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+          git add -- pom.xml
+          git commit -m "chore: prepare next development iteration after $JRELEASER_PROJECT_VERSION"
+          git push origin "HEAD:refs/heads/$DEVELOPMENT_BRANCH"
+
       - name: JReleaser release output
         if: always()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 06b1f80..ff1817d 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Releases are published to GitHub and Maven Central by JReleaser from a version t
 2. Select **Release** in the workflow list.
 3. Click **Run workflow**.
 4. Leave the branch set to `main` and enter the release version without a leading
-    `v`, for example `0.0.8`.
+    `v`, for example `0.1.1`.
 5. Click **Run workflow** to start the release.
 6. Open the newly created workflow run and wait for the `release` job to complete.
 7. Open [github.com/codejive/java-properties/releases](https://github.com/codejive/java-properties/releases)
@@ -34,14 +34,27 @@ any required environment approval is granted.
 2. Create and push an annotated tag whose name is the release version, for example:
 
     ```shell
-    git tag -a v0.0.8 -m "Release v0.0.8"
-    git push origin v0.0.8
+    git tag -a v0.1.1 -m "Release v0.1.1"
+    git push origin v0.1.1
     ```
 
 3. The `Release` workflow sets the Maven version from the tag, builds the sources and
     Javadoc artifacts, and runs JReleaser.
 4. Verify the GitHub release and the published component on Maven Central.
 
+After a successful release, the workflow increments the patch version, appends
+`-SNAPSHOT`, and commits and pushes `pom.xml` for the next development iteration.
+For example, releasing `0.1.1` prepares `0.1.2-SNAPSHOT`. Manual releases update the
+selected branch; tag releases update the repository's default branch, which must
+contain the tagged commit. The workflow token needs permission to push to that
+branch under its branch protection rules.
+
+The workflow preserves newer branch commits and skips an already committed version
+bump. If `pom.xml` has otherwise changed since the released commit, or the branch
+advances during the push, the preparation step fails without overwriting those
+changes. In that case, update and commit the next development version manually;
+the published release is already complete.
+
 ## Local Configuration Check
 
 This validates the JReleaser configuration without publishing anything:
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index cd58858..bba2a79 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.codejive</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-properties</artifactId>
-    <version>0.0.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <name>Java Properties parser</name>
     <description>A simple Java Properties parser that retains the exact format of the input file, including any comments</description>